Disney Fantasy Cruise May 10th

Our next stop on the cruise was Falmouth, Jamaica.  We booked an excursion and boarded a bus to the Good Hope Estate.  According to the description it was a 25 minute drive through the countryside on an airconditioned bus.  They forgot to mention the road was atrocious! I think parts were paved but there were potholes everywhere!  Also the road was narrow and the driver was kept busy avoiding the potholes and other vehicles.  I think we all were a bit disappointed by the  buildings we saw. No much of the plantation was left. Our return to the port was in a smaller bus and more comfortable.  The driver stopped and plucked a branch off a tree and we passed it around.  He had us break a leaf and smell.  Then asked us what we thought it was.  I was correct! Allspice.  We next tasted it, chewing on a bit of the firm leaf.  Peppery tasting.  Interesting tidbit to learn.

I'm pretty sure we did some shopping here.  Sonsearae bought Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee beans and rum.  Jim bought a shirt.  I think they call them the Blue Mountains because of the mist always hanging over it.  Like the Smokey Mountains here in the States

We did explore the grounds of Good Hope and I for one loved all the tropical flowers as you'll see below.                                                 

No matter where Sonsearae goes she make new friends, as it happens these ladies live west of here in the Pan Handle of Florida

                         Across the lazy river was this sculpture

This is the river that you could go tubing on.  Water was so low the guides got out and pulled the train of tubs along.

My honey posing under the Bougainvillea

Flowers all along the our walk

Leaving Jamaica

                                  Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      223

Nope, again we were too busy for me to get any kits assembled

Today has been a bit busy, Jim pressure washed a bit on the rig.  I did laundry and dishes.  Leftovers from Sunday fed us.

                                     All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net

Disney Cruise 8 and 9 May

 I'm falling behind again!  Yesterday we had a wonderful BBQ dinner with Sonsearae and Chris.  They fixed smoked ribs and BBQ chicken, Macaroni and cheese, slaw, corn muffins, corn on the cob and veggies and dip.  For dessert we had Dutch apple pie with vanilla ice cream.  Needless to say we ate well and I for one was stuffed when we left.

What did you do this Memorial weekend?  We celebrate our 49th years together with a spaghetti dinner today.  You see, I invited Jim over for dinner 49 years ago.  I fixed spaghetti, and for some reason he liked it and we've been together ever since!  Neither of us can believe we've been together so long.  

Our first full day at sea we we're pampered.  While Sonsearae and I had manicures, Jim got a royal shave!  Not sure what else we did, just enjoyed the cruise.  

                     I was fascinated by the color of the water 

San Miguel de Cozumel was our first Port of Call and the only place we had Wi-Fi, for me it was weird not being able to get online.  But you get used to it. T-Mobile has Mexico and Canada on our plan.  To get Wi-Fi on the ship you had to pay for it 

We did a bus tour here that involved Honey, Chocolate and Tequila!

Jim bought a carved knife, this is all one piece and it's beautiful.  At the honey place we learned about customs and traditions of the local peoples

At the chocolate place we heard about the cocoa beans and all the ways it can be used and of course there were samples.  Final stop was the Tequila place!  We sampled some unusual tequila (one was green!  made with Pistachios) and we managed to bring home some coffee flavored tequila.

Pirate night, based on Pirates of the Caribbean, is a fun night.  Lot's of Pirates young and old were roaming about.  Even the wait staff was dressed up!  Oh, did I mention we ate in a different dining room each night and our servers followed us on the rotation.  I did get a tattoo for the event and we wore a pirate bandana for the event

                                  Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      223

       As you can see no cards were assemble as we were to busy

                                     All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/

Disney Cruise on the Fantasy May 5, 6 and 7

                                                 

It hasn't rained today!  Currently we have partly cloudy skies, It's 82 degrees and the humidity is 30% at 1600.  Oddly enough we're still recovering from the cruise.  Not really sick but icky and tired.  The laundry is all caught up and daily life is back to normal.  Jim is trying to get back into walking everyday.  I continue to make cards.  I am not napping !  Jim has always napped and I know he'll continue to do so.

All the rain we've had the past few days caused some leaks and we're drying out.  Same areas we always get wet.  I'm happy to say the living room corner is dry and my craft supplies are safe except for a few pieces of paper.  The compartment is still drying out.  We don't know why these areas take on water.  We just know to check when we have heavy rains.

Had lunch with Sonsearae yesterday and she's got the sniffles...fun seeing her and we always enjoy her company

We drove down the Port Canaveral on the 5th, spending the night in a hotel so we could board the Fantasy around noon.  

Once we settled in we headed to the port to see a couple cruise ships leave.  This picture is the Disney Wish.  Sonsearae will be cruising on it around Halloween.

We then headed to dinner and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the restaurant but the food was excellent!  Next morning after breakfast we loaded up and headed to the port.  Sonsearae has cruised many times and has everything worked out timewise.  We dropped the rental car off and took the shuttle to the ship.  Our luggage was whisked away to be waiting for us in our stateroom

Quite soon we were on board!  This humongous chandelier greeted us!  We spent a lot of time in this atrium watching people, seeing cast members interacting with the children and guests

Soon it was time for lunch and we headed to Cabanas, the huge buffet that was open all the time!  Seriously breakfast, lunch and dinner could be had there almost 24 hours a day.

                                  Our beautiful tour guide

Cuba off in the distance.  Our first afternoon and evening were exciting, full of wonders to see and I was a bit queasy with the choppy seas we were sailing through.  Only time that happened!

Beautiful Sunset

                                Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      223

I cut up Four card kits to take with me so I could assemble cards.

All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/

A Day Like Any Other?

                No!  Today was special as we got to spend time with Sonsearae.  Unfortunately Chris was in Indianapolis getting a Colson Fellows certificate.  He worked several months to earn this and we are all proud of him.

Family dinners are fun!  Most every Sunday we spend with them and Sonsearae fixes us excellent meals to eat.  Today on the menu was a huge pastas salad that I'm sure she will enjoy during the week and she sent some home with us.  She also fixed a low country boil that takes very little time to cook in an instant pot.  Potatoes, corn on the cob and andouille sausage. Of course there was French bread with butter. For dessert she made a blueberry cobbler.  On Saturday her neighbors Jose and Marge picked the blueberries.                                  

                                Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      223

Using Countryside Inn DSP and dies this card comes together quite quickly!  Stampin' Up! 

Quick and easy cards from Echo Park June 2022 card kit

On the 25th of the month I make Christmas Cards.  Cozy Christmas from Echo Park.  The template is from Jess Crafts #14.  The cardstock is Stampin' Up! Christmas to Remember Sentiment from SU also

This set of cards was made with retired DSP Dainty Flowers and Starry Sky cardstock.  I used the Countryside Inn die.  I used some scraps paper to make these so they all look different!

The cards are made from a 6x6 sheet of paper.  Don't you just love the bright colors?  Circle Saying Bundle for the sentiment

These are Mystery Cards.  I whole thing involves a sheet of 12x12 paper.  You turn it over and just cut into card fronts.  In this case 4x5 1/4.  There is a small bit leftover that can be used on the inside of the card.  I use die cuts from Forever Fern and Quiet Meadow

This is what I started with

Had a few showers today and apparently the power was off for a bit.  Our Crepe Myrtle is beginning to bloom

All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/

Lazy Day

        I don't think either of us went outside today. Beautiful day and it didn't rain! I didn't do laundry, had pizza for lunch but I still need to do dishes.  We both had naps.  I suppose one day we'll get caught up on sleep.

Not to long ago we saw this 'rock' in the yard.  Turns out it was a turtle!  Not sure where it came from or where it was going.  I hope the mud wasn't a heavy burden                                    

   

                                  Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      203

These first 12 cards are from a Paper Pumpkin Kit, No Matter the Weather March 2020.  These kits are a great way to get into cardmaking.  You must sign up before the 10th of the month to get the current it, get details here:   

                        https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/

Super simple card design using Dainty Flowers DSP from Stampin' Up!  It's no longer available so I'll use up what I have now and then

Made for a Challenge at Club Scrap. They supply the sketch and I chose the January 2016 card kit Celebrate

Texture Chic DSP with Soft Succulent cardstock, both retired

Countryside Inn suite is from the new Annual Catalog as is the Circle Sayings Bundle.  My upline, Jessica Taylor designed it when she joined the million dollar sales club.

                                    All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/

Time to

                 Let ya'll know were still here.  The past few days have been busy for me.  We went on a Disney Cruise with Sonsearae and all I've done is sleep and do laundry since we returned last Saturday.  We had a grand time!

Yesterday a local restaurant, Mission BBQ was celebrating US Navy Veterans by offering a free BBQ sandwich so we met Sonsearae there and caught up.  We always like spending time with her and Chris.  He couldn't come but she took a sandwich home for him.  It was the first time we left the house so on the way home we stopped and picked up some groceries.

Today Jim had a dermatology appointment.  They had to see how his cancer removal was doing and lo and behold they had to remove built up skin that was tangled in a dissolvable stitch...it's healing ok but it will be awhile before it's completely healed.  I get to be his nurse for awhile longer.  After that we were hungry and headed to a new to us restaurant.  Unfortunately it was lunch time and this particular strip mall has way to many restaurants and we could not find a place to park our black beastie.  So onto plan two.

We had lunch at Food Glorious Food, each of us grabbing a sandwich.  Then it was off to CVS to pick up some ointment the dermatologist said was an over the counter medicine...not so!  We drove home and Jim informed the doctor so I'm guessing tomorrow or the next day we'll have to go pick it up.

We both ended up napping today!

Our weather pattern has been foggy upon arising, sometimes the sun comes out to heat us up.  Then we have rain, sometimes the sun comes out again.  Everything is very green and lush

                             

                                              Handmade cards Because

No one displays an email on the mantel

or

Shows off a tweet on the refrigerator

or

Saves a Facebook Post in a box of treasures

Total for 2023

                                                      178

                      The following cards were made in April.  

these three cards show off both side of the DSP in what is called a fun fold

More cards for the Disney Cruise.  On the cruise you can sign up for Fish Extenders gifts.  Six to a group and you exchange fun items with your fellow passengers.  We included the cards in the bags of gifts and also used them for the tips at the end of the cruise

One sheet wonder from Jessica Taylor using up retired DSP from Stampin' Up!  Bottom right is a pocket card

                               A couple of Echo Park cards

                             Club Scrap Gossamer card kit.  

                                  All is right in our world

I am an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. Showing how to make quick and easy cards. Follow me here or on Facebook:  Card making with Linda for more detailed instruction. To place an order, head over to my website to view the digital catalogs

https://lindagoudelock.stampinup.net/